We moved to Nacogdoches (pronounced Nac-a-do-ches), a small town of 30,000, in 2008. On your way into town, a big billboard proudly announces that Nacogdoches is “the oldest town in Texas.” [I’m not sure what this means–does it means it’s the oldest white town in Texas?] When my oldest daughter saw that sign for the first time, she was downright disgusted that we had moved from Baton Rouge–a cool city with lots of interesting places to eat, shopping, multiple movie theaters, Mardi Gras parades, king cake, you get the picture–to . . . Nacogdoches.
It was a tough sell for her. The kids here call the Nacogdoches mall “The Hall”–an apt description for a sad, droopy place with about five stores. There aren’t many good places to eat (unless you like Tex-Mex). And it’s remote–Dallas is about 3 hours to the northwest of us and Houston is about 2.5 hours southwest of us.
But boy, the living here is easy. “Traffic” in Nac means there might be two whole cars in front of you at a four-way stop. If you’re running errands, you can easily make 5 stops in 30-40 minutes.
The church is actually the farthest place away from our house–and it’s about a 10 minute drive. I took the “long way” (wink) to church on this day so you could see more of our sleepy little town.
![img_2913](https://dovesandserpents.org/wp-content/gallery/a-ride-to-church-nacogdoches/img_2913.jpg "Nacogdoches (aka \\"Nac\\" or \\"Naconowhere\\") is known as the \\"Piney Woods\\" of east Texas.")
![img_2934](https://dovesandserpents.org/wp-content/gallery/a-ride-to-church-nacogdoches/img_2934.jpg "Nine flags have flown over Nac (supposedly the \\"oldest town\\" in Texas).")
Nice pictures!
I believe the claim “Oldest Town in Texas” comes from the fact that, during the Mexican period of Texas history, Nacogdoches was the first community in what is now Texas to receive the designation “pueblo” from the Mexican government. There were other communities in Texas, some of them even bigger than Nacogdoches, but they had other legal designations (mission, presidio, etc.). It’s like so many of Texas’s claims to fame in that it requires a clarification that is not normally included in the claim itself. For example “biggest state” (in the lower 48), “tallest capitol building” (if you measure from the basement two stories underground). Interestingly enough, I think the town of San Augustine just down the road also claims to be the oldest town in Texas.
Great, Charles. I knew that some clarification/caveat was needed.
Shipley donuts!! That takes me way back to my childhood and Saturday visits with my grandparents (in Houston).
There are worse things than sleepy towns. Lovely photos!
theselook great- even on my phone!!
I didn’t know appliance repair shops even still existed.
Loved these shots. I can see why you like it… and maybe a little why your kids didn’t.
Someone needs to adopt that adorable “Main” theater and turn it back into a functional theater. I bet it’s awesome (or potentially awesome) on the inside. That’s what someone did for the formerly run-down theater in our next-door town and now it’s a hotspot (still with $2 popcorn). Take that, megaplex!
Wow, those statues are brilliant… that little horse..! What a thing to have on the other side of the road from church!
I agree that the theatre is beautiful, too. But then, I really like stuff that is in states of disrepair, so perhaps that’s part of it for me.
Man I miss Texas…the green part. I wish our tiny, sleepy little Oklahoma town was as green as yours!
It is indeed green and very lush. People are often surprised when they come to this part of Texas. I think they must think all of Texas is like west Texas (or Oklahoma!).
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